New Beginning
by Betty BOKOR
Summary: SamDaniel. Daniel is dead, kind of. Well, you know him.


**New Beginning** by Betty Bokor  
Sam/Daniel. Daniel is dead, kind of. Well, you know him.  
Spoilers: All seasons, including 9.  
Disclaimer: The Stargate original characters belong to MGM/Showtime, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. This was written strictly for the purpose of entertainment. No attempt at copyright infringement has been made.

**New Beginning**

As she ran towards the gateroom from her laboratory, Sam couldn't stop wondering what could have gone wrong. After long and intense negotiations, Daniel had finally reached an agreement with all the parties involved and peace was, at last, at hand. This next step was simply the signing of the treaty. She couldn't think that the Ancients, the Nox, or the Asgard could have changed their minds. Their representatives had taken the discussions very seriously. She was not so sure about the Ori, compelled to participate in the peace talks by the sheer power of their adversaries. She also trusted neither the remaining Goau'ld System Lords, who had come to the table strengthened by their own prior alliance, nor the New Jaffa Nation leaders, who, in spite of Teal'c's best efforts, were still steering their comrades in an uncertain direction.

When she finally reached the gateroom, the first groups of people were starting to come through the gate. Among soldiers and medical personnel, she saw the presidents and prime ministers from the earth nations that had been chosen to represent the rest of the planet. Nobody seemed seriously hurt. She saw more military men and finally, right before the gate shut down, General Hammond, Jack, Teal'c, and Cameron walked down the ramp. General Landry stopped giving orders so as to accommodate the people that had come through and approached them. Then he asked the question in everybody's mind.

"What happened?"

Jack sat on the ramp and rubbed his forehead with his hand. The others remained behind him, serious and quiet. "The former first prime from Anubis appeared from nowhere, right after the final steps of the signing of the treaty, and started yelling about how they had sent his master to oblivion and how they would be punished for it."

"Where's Daniel?" Sam asked while panic gripped her from inside.

"DanielJackson stopped him from shooting at the delegates. He was the only soldier in the room at the time. He saved many lives. His actions were heroic." Teal'c said with contained emotion.

Jack had his head between his hands and didn't move. Cam felt compelled to step up and very softly he answered Sam. "He didn't make it. He was zatted at least three times while battling with the first prime. They were both disintegrated."

It looked like Sam was going to pass out. She didn't say a word, she didn't move, but all the blood drained from her face and she tightly shut her eyes. Gen. Hammond left his position in the background and reached for Sam. He put his arm around her shoulders and slowly directed her out of the room. "Come on, Sam. You need to sit down. Let's go to the briefing room."

While he was doing this, Jack got up, threw his hat with fury against the floor, and left the room in a rush. Teal'c and Cameron followed him. Landry decided to take care of the situation on his base and left, too.

Sam couldn't comprehend why this had happened. They had peace now. No more battling around the galaxy trying to save the Earth. The gate was going to be used for better purposes: trading, science advancement, historical research… Why would they lose Daniel now, when everything was finally going to be all right? All those years that he had battled to achieve peace. He, single handedly, had achieved it, and now he would not be able to enjoy the fruits of his work. Oh, yes, Jack and all the others, including herself, had fought the war, but Daniel had gotten peace. He had begged, discussed, pleaded, and lost his voice trying to reach a common ground where all the parties could comfortably participate. And he had done it. Probably, the Stargate Program would be made public soon and the man who had made it possible, the man who had given his life so many times for it, would not be there to receive the respect and admiration that he deserved. It was so unfair!

She came out of her thoughts, looked at General Hammond standing in front of her in the briefing room, and she reached out for him, put her head on his shoulder, and cried for all the people they had lost. In seconds the faces of so many gone forever flashed in her mind. Jacob and Selmak, Janet Fraiser, Charles Kawalsky, Sha're, Kasuf and Skaara and all the Abydonians, Martouf and Lantash, Narim and the Tollans, Orlin, Joe Faxon, Lt. Elliot, Jonas Hansen, Robert Rothman, Drey'auc and Shaun'auc, even Jolinar… and now, Daniel, her dear Daniel. Gen. Hammond didn't let go; he just held her while his own tears filled his eyes.



The next weeks were busy for everybody at the SGC, especially for Sam. When opened, Daniel's Last Will and Testament had proven that this time he had been prepared for his death. He had selected special objects for every one of his friends, each charged of meaning for the recipient, like the beautiful Egyptian funerary statue that returned to Teal'c's hands. The biggest surprise of his testament was that the bulk of his state –his house and all his possessions in it– had been left to Sam. She was surprised, but she didn't take it lightly. First, she obtained permission to transform Daniel's office at the base in a sort museum/consultation-reading room. She wanted to be sure that no one would have the right to call Daniel's office his own. She wanted to keep everything just as he had left it. Of course, other members of his department and any authorized personnel would have access to his works and library, but nothing could be taken out of the office without a special release form, and then only as a loan.

Then, she expeditiously sold her own house and moved into Daniel's guest room. She had spent many nights in that room and being in the vicinity of Daniel's belongings made her feel less desolate. She also kept most of his house as he had left it, adding only those things that were too special for her to let go –all the pictures where they were together, for example.

Next, she organized all the scientific papers Daniel had written in the years of his involvement with the SGC and got them ready for publication. She had helped Daniel update and polish his papers in the days previous to his death. He had done the same for hers. As soon as the program became public, the scientific community would have to recognize his vision and his talent.

One afternoon, after most of her tasks had been completed, Jack went by Daniel's house to see her. They shared lunch and talked about the implications of the imminent disclosure of the secrets of the gate.

Suddenly, Jack asked, "Hey, Carter, don't you think you're going a little bit far with all this 'preserve Daniel's memory' thing? I mean, you're living in his house, for crying out loud! I don't even see many of your things around here."

She was about to tell him that was none of his business, but she reconsidered. "No, sir. I think he deserves it." She decided it wouldn't be good to tell him that many nights she slept on his bed, trying to capture a scent, a memory, anything that could bring Daniel closer to her. She definitely couldn't tell him that she felt the need of taking his clothes, especially his favorite cream sweater, out of his closet and holding them near her in her moments of deepest depression. Nor that the only reason that she didn't sleep holding a pair of his glasses was fear of breaking them.

Jack chatted about inconsequential matters for a while and then left. She was surprised at how her feelings for Jack had changed in a few months. From being about to tell him how she felt, in order to make him admit his feelings for her, to not caring at all if he had feelings for her or not. The sexual tension that had characterized their relationship was completely gone. She believed Daniel's death had precipitated the demise of her interest in Jack. Somewhere at the bottom of her heart, she blamed him for her friend's death. It was not Daniel's job to stop maniacal murderers; it was Jack's. Daniel had accomplished his part with the signing of the treaty. Jack should have been on the lookout for any possible threats to that achievement. He had failed, saved again by Daniel's willingness to give it all for his cause.



Emmett Bregman was happy to be back at the SGC. The last time he had had a bad time there, until Daniel Jackson had opened his heart to him and everybody else had followed. He was back to film a supplementary chapter to his story, which would include all the latest developments. He had also requested permission, and obtained it, to prepare a special program to pay homage to Daniel Jackson.

Bregman was even more satisfied when, days later, amidst an impressive publicity campaign, the Stargate Program became public knowledge and all his work was appreciated by millions of people around the globe. Nevertheless, for him, and for everyone ever involved in the program, the biggest satisfaction had come from the request made by all the dignitaries that had participated in keeping the program secret for at least a decade. Their request to the public to keep the blame from any of the members of the program and leave it for the politicians who had made the decisions about it had a remarkable effect. While presidents and ministers, among others, debated on television why it had been so imperative to keep the stargate a secret, the soldiers and scientists who had put their lives on the line to make it work were held as heroes. After Bregman's documentary, it was easy to understand what a burden it had been for all of them to keep such a secret for so long.

An imposing monument was erected at the entrance of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex to commemorate all those who had given their lives for the planet.

Paul Davis, undoubtedly helped by his good looks, became a sort of spokesman and public relations officer for all his comrades. He would accompany groups of military men or scientific teams to public events, introduce them, and act as a liaison between the public or the journalists and them. Years of performing that duty for the Pentagon had trained him well. Lt. Graham Simmons assisted him on his duties.

Generals George Hammond and Hank Landry became respected leaders. Their words of advice and their opinions on international matters were sought and followed.

The members of SG-1 immediately became world heroes. Jack was enlisted to teach military strategy classes to highly trained military forces around the world. The pressure of the media digging into his private life provoked a frail rekindling of his relationship with his former wife, Sara, that ended up in a full blown reconciliation. So many photo ops and trips down memory lane had to have some effect.

Sam's _Treaty on Wormhole Physics_ turned into an instant classic in the scientific community. Her achievements as a scientist and as a military woman had transformed her into an instantaneous role model for women around the world. She also was undeniably a prize for the many men that relentlessly pursued her. For a while, she tried to give herself a chance at being happy. First, she dated Agent Malcolm Barrett,of the National Intelligence Division (NID), and, though they definitely had some kind of chemistry together, they amicably broke it off after a couple of months, when both admitted that something was amiss. Then, she tried with Alec Colson, who had returned to the planet from the Beta Site in full glory, particularly after a highly publicized chat with Thor on international T.V. The connection was there, and the physical attraction was even more intense than with Malcolm but, still, she was not truly happy and Alec understood it soon. They parted on good terms and Sam went back to her solitary life.

Teal'c was persuaded to stay on Earth; his friends made a good case of how his image of_ "the alien who left it all to fight by the Tau'ri_" would go a long way into helping the Earth population welcome all the races they were now getting acquainted with because of the gate. He was not able to convince his son Rya'c and his wife Kar'yn to join him, but he persuaded the rebel-leader Ishta to leave her now unnecessary role and give a try to being his wife. His mentor Bra'tac also agreed to join him, finally accepting that in his old age he deserved some quiet and peace. "Master Bra'tac of Chulak" joined "Hammond of Texas" in many interviews and trips around the globe.

Cameron Mitchell became a heartthrob for any woman over fifteen in the planet; his handsome face, athletic physique, and constantly pleasant manner made him a favorite for the media. He quickly crushed the hopes of every one of the women –and some men– who tried to woo him by proposing to and finally marrying the chief medical officer of the SGC, Dr. Carolyn Lam, daughter of Gen. Landry. It took him a great deal of effort to convince Carolyn to marry again, after a catastrophically failed first attempt at marriage in her twenties, but Cam's brilliant and passionate personality and the increasing fierceness of her competition, ultimately led her to accept. She would never regret it.

Col. Lionel Pendergast, commander of the Prometheus, took Cam's place as the most wanted by women. Being one of the few single men in key positions within the program helped him without a doubt.

Cassandra Frasier, the little girl that had once been rescued from P8X-987, was now a beautiful young woman on her way to obtaining her degree in Genetics. As soon as her story became public, her choice of careers became clear to all her friends. She quickly stepped up as a proof of how aliens and earthlings could share the planet without conflict.

Jonas Quinn and his wife Kianna Cyr joined SG-1 at many social events, traveling from their native Kelowna, in Langara, on different occasions, as the press tried to understand how the alien had happen to be part of the flagship team.

Many of the scientists at the SGC, who had led a quiet life until then, were thrown into the spotlight and became everyday faces on television. Bill Lee, Simon Coombs, Jay Felger and even the alien Nyan of Bedrosia, among many others, were finally rewarded for years of hard work.

What most surprised Sam of all the developments that followed the disclosure of the program was the reaction that the world showed when faced with the chronicle of Daniel Jackson's life. Bregman's homage documentary had shown Daniel as he was, with no enhancements or attempts at glorifying him, but the now public records had shown him in his full dimension. How he had clung to his principles and fought for a peaceful solution every time. How he had forced himself into finding solutions when nobody else thought them possible. How he had given his life, repeatedly, for his beliefs and his people.

After the publication of his research papers, his former peers, who had laughed him out of the academic community, were obliged to recognize the error of their ways and give him full credit for his vision and the magnitude of his discoveries. Sarah Gardner, still haunted by her memories as the host of the Goa'uld Osiris, came from her voluntary ostracism to praise her former lover. Steven Rayner, who had worked by Daniel's side under Dr. David Jordan's supervision in Chicago, had to finally publicly recognize the merits of Daniel's early theories and how blind the rest of the archeological community had been.

However, that was not what most astonished Sam; she had expected all that to happen. It was the common public's attachment to Daniel's story that had her dumbfounded. Several "made for TV" movies had immediately attempted to deal with his painful childhood touring foster homes and his accomplishments for the program. Rumor had it that a big screen movie was on the works, which would focus on his years working with the Stargate.

He had become a legend.

Pictures of him were found everywhere. Books about his life and works –with varying degrees of accuracy and quality– flourished incessantly. Some even gave a religious connotation to his comebacks from the dead.

For Sam the funniest part of all the madness that Daniel had provoked was the proliferation of his "action figures". While every one of the most famous members of the program had been _blessed _with his or her very own action figure –including Sgt. Siler holding a wrench and Walter Harriman with a sound chip repeating "Chevron One, encoded"– Daniel had inspired dozens. There was a Daniel with long hair and a Daniel with a haircut and a sleeveless black t-shirt. There was Daniel with a boonie, a green bandana, a brown bandana, a military helmet, a knit black hat, and even a bandage on his head. There was Daniel with glasses, with sunglasses, and without glasses. In a green, beige, or black BDU, in desert or jungle camouflage uniforms, all in blue –her favorite–, in a business suit or in Abydonian robes.

She had made certain that the companies that commercialized them sent her a copy of each figure for her little private museum. She enjoyed even more the group figures, "Daniel and Jack Arguing", "Daniel and Teal'c in Kelnoreem", "Daniel and Cam Preparing to Shoot", and "Daniel and Sam Solving a Riddle". She loved that last one; she didn't know on what image of the SGC surveillance footage it had been inspired, but the little silhouettes of Daniel and herself, sitting at a table, side by side, leaning on a big document, made her feel full of warm memories of her friend.



Approximately a year after the treaty was signed and the lives of everybody at the SGC changed forever, an unexpected visitor came through the gate, sponsored by the Ori. In compliance with the treaty, Landry opened the iris only to find himself face to face with Vala Malduran. She explained that she had been kept prisoner by the Ori until, by virtue of the agreement with the other races, the need to disclose the whereabouts of anyone involved in the SGC had obliged them to set her free. It had been a lucky circumstance that they had considered her a Tau'ri and they had sent her to earth.

Landry could not deny her huge contribution to the cause when she had helped destroy the "super gate" the Ori were building. He granted her asylum. She quickly became a favorite of the media. Her seductive presence and the originality of her wardrobe, compared to all the official uniforms they were used to seeing, made her distinctively attractive.

Sam didn't like her; she felt her as a personal threat and she couldn't pinpoint the reason why. She didn't want to analyze it too deeply. Now and then the idea of Vala's close involvement with Daniel bothered her, but it fascinated the public. The story of the bonding bracelets ignited the imaginations of millions and they all saw in it much more than it had actually happened –at least in Sam's opinion, even though she had no first hand testimony to rely on. Daniel's calls during that time had been awfully vague as to how far his "bond" with Vala had gone. Sam attributed it to the fact that Vala seemed to annoy him; she was not so sure now. After Vala had been burned to death in that remote planet, Daniel had moderated his tone when talking about her and after she had disappeared he had looked genuinely distraught. In any case, it didn't matter anymore, because Daniel was dead.



A couple of months after Vala's return, there was an unscheduled incoming wormhole. Because every ally had a way to signal his or her presence, Landry knew this was different. He kept the iris closed and waited for something to hit it, but nothing happened. A few minutes later, the wormhole shut down on its own. Landry called Sam to help Walter figure out what had taken place during those minutes. Sgt. Harriman had found an anomaly and they needed to investigate it. With Sam's help they finally discovered that there was an encoded message in the SGC computers that had been sent while the wormhole was open. They called some members of the Linguistics Department and they set to work.

An hour later, and after heated discussions and the opinion of several more members of the same department, they called Landry with an answer. Landry summoned SG-1 to the briefing room and they listened to the results.

"We have found the same message repeated in at least thirty different languages, including the native language of my people, the Bedrosians," Nyan explained.

"There are languages that we are not able to recognize or translate, but we are certain that the message is the same every time," one of his colleagues added.

"Well, what is the message then?" Landry asked.

Nyan spoke again, _"Please, let me come home. I'm Daniel."_

Landry and SG-1 remained in silence for a while. Sam's heart was jumping inside her heart at the mere possibility that Daniel was somewhere out there.

"How can we be sure?" the general finally asked.

"We cannot," was the unanimous response.

"Don't know many people that would pull that off, sir," Cameron said with an expressive gesture.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.

"Sir, if it is Daniel and we don't let him in, what is going to happen to him?" Sam said. "We haven't been able to identify the origin of this message. It probably didn't come from within our galaxy."

"Do you think it could be a trick from the Ori?' Landry suggested.

"I do not believe they would risk the fury of our most powerful allies," Teal'c summed up everybody's thoughts.

Landry dismissed all the Linguistics Department and discussed different solutions. They always ended up wanting to let whoever it was in. They decided to do it. They put a team of extra guards on alert and they waited. Nothing happened that day.

The following morning the gate activated at the same time as the day before and Harriman noticed the same anomaly take place. Landry rushed to the observation deck and passed his message through the wormhole.

"We are expecting you," was all he said. The iris was opened and security stood around the gateroom, pointing their weapons at the gate. The general and the three members of SG-1 joined them. Five minutes after the message was transmitted a tall figure crossed the event horizon and started walking down the ramp. He didn't stop when he noticed the guards and their weapons. He walked directly to the head of SGC and stood in front of him, with all the eyes pointed at him.

It was Daniel, all right. He looked like him at least. Kind of. He was different in many ways but the same in others.

"You'd probably like to test me, general, as always. I'm ready."

Sam was stunned. It sounded so cold, so detached. He hadn't even looked on her direction. She approached him and touched his arm.

He looked at her, let a little smile appear for a second, and said, "Hi, Sam." He looked at the others and, serious again, saluted with a small movement of his head, "Teal'c, Cam." He turned his head back to the general and waited for his instructions.

"Your teammates will accompany you to the Infirmary. Dr. Lam and her people are expecting you. We'll talk later. I imagine you have plenty to tell us." He patted his back softly, dismissed the guards and left. Daniel started walking toward the exit followed by his friends.

Nobody talked during the trip to the Infirmary. Daniel was ahead and the others followed lost in their thoughts. Sam took the time to observe him. He looked taller, if that was possible. Actually he was leaner and that created the illusion of height. He was wearing some kind of tan deerskin or suede ensemble and boots in the same color. His shirt, or, more appropriately his vest didn't leave much to imagination. His trousers, worn inside his boots, were tight and accentuated his muscles. She remembered that he had had a very well built body before, but now it was impossible not to stare at his suntanned silhouette. He wore some kind of brass cuffs around his wrists and there were a pair of strange-looking thin necklaces hanging over his chest. His hair looked as long as it had been when she met him on Abydos, but it was kept tied in a high ponytail.

During the whole testing process, Daniel limited his words to polite and brief answers to what was asked of him. He did not chat with the medical personnel or with his friends, standing in the background. He didn't offer even the insinuation of a smile either.

When she was done collecting samples and passing him through scanning devices, she suggested that they escorted him to guest-quarters until his identity had been confirmed. His teammates walked with him again, followed by the guards that would remain by his door once he had entered the room. Not once did he try to engage them in conversation and the others respected his silence. When he reached the door of the room, he half turned around, without releasing the doorknob, and said, "I would deeply appreciate it if I have to tell about my experience only once. I'll see you all at the debriefing. I thank you for your kindness in accompanying me to this room." He opened the room, went inside, and softly closed the door behind him. His three friends stood for a while facing his door, unable to process this new attitude of Daniel's. Then they left without saying a word.



Carolyn Lam had confirmed without a doubt that, physically, that was the same Daniel Jackson that had left the base more than a year ago. She was now in the briefing room with her father Gen. Landry, SG-1, and Jack O'Neill, who has flown especially from Washington D.C. to see his friend again.

"It's hard to actually die when you are shot in the middle of a room full of Ancients," Daniel began. He seemed a little bit more relaxed, friendlier. He had changed into SGC standard issue clothes and it was easier to imagine that he was the same Daniel that had been there before, but there were tiny details –the way he moved, the way he looked at people, and many others– that still separated him from his past self.

"There were many other Ancients in the room that what we could see. When the first prime zatted me, they were all waiting for me. Their attitude was very different than the one they showed me on other occasions. I was upset. How many times can you die and not die? I was tired. I thought my mission had been accomplished. The treaty was signed. You would have peace. I just wanted to move on, to stop wandering around the galaxy. To have my own peace," he finished with sadness.

"But?" Jack asked.

"They wouldn't let me. They said that if I really appreciated them and wanted them as part of the alliance, I shouldn't be so distressed at the possibility of being one of them. That I already was one of them. I accepted and I stayed. All the memories of my first year of ascension slowly came back to me. They directed me to help others among our people who deserved a chance at ascension. It was very hard to choose who to help, but I decided that those who were actively seeking, working towards achieving a higher plane, those would be my targets. The first time I guided someone, he was an elderly monk, in Tibet. Then there was this nun, in a small convent on the Alps… So many people spend their lifetimes searching for answers, looking for something beyond-"

"That's very touching, Danny-boy, but we want to know how is it that you're back among us," Jack said with a forced grin.

"After eight months doing the same, I started feeling this need to come back, to take up my life where I had left it. I talked to them and they were not happy, but I think, by now, they know me better. I believe they were expecting me to get there; some were even surprised that it took me so long. They put conditions on my return, which is probably going to be the last –they are not playing this game with me again– and they prepared someone else to take my job. One of the conditions was that I had to earn my 'reentry'. I had to survive, on my own, on some primitive planet, until I found a gate to bring me back here. They wanted me to learn that not everything comes easy on life, that you need to fight for them-"

"Hah!" Jack sighed. "Like _you_ need to learn any more of _that_! Your whole life has been a drama! Check any channel and you can see by yourself. 'A childhood of pain', that one was a great success, and, what was the name of the other famous one? It was even sappier. Ah! I know, 'A tragic love on the sands of Abydos', not that bad if you survive the title," he finished with heavy irony.

Daniel was completely lost; he didn't know anything about the disclosure of the gate. After all, the people he had been taking care of were not big at watching the news and chitchatting with the neighbors. Sam looked at Jack with contempt and rapidly explained to Daniel the events of the last months. The others actively participated in the explanation. Jack kept quiet for a while and then interrupted everybody and asked, looking at Daniel, "So, we still don't know the end of your story."

Daniel felt uncomfortable with Jack's attitude. It was probably the same as before, but he was not used to it any longer. He resumed his narration and told them of the hardships he had had to endure to reach the gate in that forsaken planet. Sam thought that his physical condition was testimony of that.

Cam wanted to know if he had retained the memories of this ascension, because it certainly seemed so. Daniel hesitated a second and said, "The memories, yes; the powers that I was given, no."

"Don't worry, Danny. We're all just happy and cozy because you're back," Jack joked and the mood improved in the room.

Soon after, the meeting was dismissed and they all took Daniel to dinner. Before leaving the base he went through his former office and got a pair of glasses from a drawer. He was surprised that everything looked as he remembered it.

After dinner Sam offered to take him to his house.

"My house? You mean, I still have a house? I thought you would have sold it by now," he said.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't do it. I sold mine and I went to live in yours, but I'm installed in your guestroom. I won't bother you tonight and, tomorrow, I will start looking for my own place," Sam offered.

"That's unfair, Sam. That's your house now. I left it to you. I will find another place."

"Or we can share for a while," Sam suggested hopefully.

He had an inscrutable look and Sam thought he would refuse. He was so distant now. It was like a brick wall separated his feeling from his exterior. She couldn't read him in his eyes anymore.

"Fine. You and I have always got along well. If it starts getting strained, I'll move out."



The following days were a feast for the press. They couldn't get enough of Daniel. People followed him on the streets and surrounded his house just to look at him. He was utterly distraught. He didn't enjoy the attention; he just wanted his life back. He called a press conference, two weeks after his return, and begged for privacy. He promised to attend every lecture, conference, interview, dinner or similar event that he could accommodate in his schedule, as long as he was allowed to live and work in peace. The journalists inwardly laughed at his request. They knew the general public did not pay attention to that kind of plea.

They were wrong. Daniel had created some kind of connection with the public and they all respected his desires. It didn't stop anyone from approaching him, but there was a new set of boundaries now, a need to ask for his approval even before talking to him. Daniel felt much more comfortable with this new arrangement and didn't shy away from those who tried to meet him.

Many were surprised by the fact that he was living in the same house with Sam. Daniel and Sam agreed on making no comments about it to anyone except their small group of friends who knew of their living arrangements. Everything slowly got better until one Saturday morning Sam went into the kitchen and found Vala wearing one of Daniel's robes, sitting at the table, reading the newspaper, and having breakfast.

"Hello, sweetheart. Had a good night? Mine was fabulous, but you wouldn't know about that, would you?" Vala smiled broadly and then went back to her breakfast.

Sam was petrified. She didn't think she could move. She forced herself to get a cup of coffee and went back to her room. How could he? What was he thinking? With Vala? She calmed herself and started seeing what she really didn't want to see. Why not? He was a single man and he deserved to be happy. That was his house, too. He had the right to have a girlfriend; she was only his _friend_, she didn't have any rights over him.

She had to decide how to handle it. If she complained, maybe Daniel would pick up his things and leave her. Well, leave the house, actually. She didn't want him to go. How was she going to deal with having Vala around the house? Why did it bother her so much? Vala was not the right woman for Daniel. She was too conniving, too tricky for him. She decided to do something about it.

She remembered that Lionel Pendergast had been very interested in Vala when he first met her, right before she disappeared into oblivion. He was a much more suitable man for Vala; he was used to women falling for him and he was not clueless as Daniel. He knew how to handle someone like the annoying alien. She called him and invited him to dinner for that night. She told him that Daniel had invited Vala and that she'd like to have a friend like him at the table with her. Lionel asked if Daniel had something going on with Vala, clearly showing interest on her. Sam dismissed the idea. "They are close, that's all. They used to be linked, remember," she said with a happy tone. She even gave him some advice as to how to approach Vala. She knew that she would not be able to resist the attentions of a man, especially one like the commander of the Prometheus.

Sam went back to the kitchen and casually put her coffee cup in the dishwasher. She then turned around and asked, "Are you going to be around tonight? I have a friend coming to dinner and you could be there with Daniel, so that he does not feel lonely," she added with a smile.

"I would not dare deprive him of my beauty. I will be here all day," Vala answered smugly.

Sam made sure that Daniel knew about the dinner. Everything went as planned. Daniel, as she expected, did not show himself possessive towards his date, and Pendergast took it as a permission to flirt with her. Vala was delighted. Unfortunately, Sam was called to the SGC to urgently check on an anomaly on the computers. She could not see how the night ended. When she came back all the lights were out and the house looked clean. She went to sleep but she couldn't close her eyes, trying to hear if there were any noises coming from Daniel's room.

When she got up in the morning, she went straight to the kitchen. "No Vala here," she thought. She was starting to feel better when she spotted one of Vala's earrings on the couch. "Just the right place to make out", Sam imagined with a tug at her heart. Daniel's door was still closed. They were probably still sleeping. She couldn't take it. She had a shower, got dressed, and went shopping. That would help her think things out.

She came home late in the afternoon. Daniel was sitting in the den watching the news; when he saw Sam and all her shopping bags, he got up and helped her. He had cut his hair just as he had it before he left for the signing of the treaty. Sam was touched by how he looked like her Daniel again, and not like that face on the TV.

"Is Vala still here?" she asked carefully, trying to sound unemotional.

"No, she left."

"Is she coming back?"

"No, Sam. At least, not today."

"Are you serious about her?" she kept pushing.

He finished putting her bags in her room and turned to talk to her. "Look, Sam, if it bothers you that I brought her here, I think I'll better move out."

Sam paralyzed. "No, that's not what I meant. I just wondered why you chose her. I have no problem with-"

"Sam, this is your house, too. I should have talked to you about this, before I brought her here. I'm not going to go around meeting women in hotels, Sam, especially when I'm recognized so easily. I don't want to live like a monk anymore either. I'm over forty years old, Sam, and I don't want to be alone any longer. By the way, Vala left with Pendergast. They seem to have more in common."

Sam waited to see if there would be any show of pain for her departure, but nothing happened. "I'm sorry," she said with false sadness.

"It's not like I'm love with her, Sam. It doesn't really matter." He shrugged and she felt bad that she had been the cause of his discomfort

"You're not alone, Daniel. I'm here. All your friends care for you. They would run to see you at your smallest indication."

"It's not the same, Sam. I need to wake up with a warm body by my side, I need to feel that I'm alive, that I'm not still an incorporeal being. I need to touch, and hug, and kiss, and make love. I've already used up my nine lives, and probably more. This is my last chance. _I don't want to be alone any more_." He finished his last sentence slowly, marking every word. He then turned around, turned off the TV and started walking toward his room.

Years later Sam would still think that some creature from outer space possessed her at that moment. She had never found a better explanation for what she did.

When Daniel started walking toward his room, Sam felt a sharp pain in her heart. He looked defeated, lonely, and sad. She had to do something about it; she couldn't bear to see him suffer any further. She quickly crossed the room toward Daniel, who was about to reach the stairs, grabbed him by the shoulder, turned him around, pushed him against the wall, and kissed him, strong and passionately. Daniel's eyes opened wide behind his glasses. A second later he kissed her back and then, he pushed her and kept her at arms length, away from him.

"Sam, why do you do this to me?" She didn't understand what he meant but didn't care either. She got rid of the obstruction that his arms produced by pushing them down toward his body; she got near him again, and whispered, "You want someone to love? Love me," and she kissed him again. He was breathing heavily. He freed his arms from her hold and held her, while he kissed her back. Then, just as before, as if it took him that long to go back to his senses, he pushed her back again. He immediately turned his face against the wall and leaned on it holding his head between his hands.

"Please, Sam, don't be this cruel, don't play with me." He seemed about to cry.

Sam was lost. She didn't understand what he was trying to say. Hey, she didn't even understand what _she_ had done. She touched his back softly with her hand and he shivered. She strengthened her touch and talked to him, "Daniel, I'm not playing with you. I'm sorry if I offended you. I don't know what got over me. I just couldn't see you suffer; I wanted to help you. I wanted you to- oh, my God!" She took her hand from his back as if it were on fire. He didn't move. "I'm so sorry, Daniel, I didn't know. Now it's all so clear." He still didn't move but she didn't notice. She was talking more to herself than to him. "All those failed relationships, just because nobody measured up to you," her tone implied realization. "All these years looking for someone like you. That's why I was never capable of taking any risks for Jack; he would have never lived up to my expectations. He would have never been you."

Daniel had turned slowly to face her. His eyes were full of tears. "Sam?" he tried softly.

She didn't stop her train of thought. "Oh, Daniel, I'm so sorry. All this time, I've been in love with you," she stopped talking and lowered her face to not look at him.

"Sam, is that true?" Daniel asked in the same soft way as before. She simply nodded, still without looking at him. "Sam, look at me." He touched her chin and lifted her face. "Do you know why I really wanted to come back? Why I went through that odyssey on that forsaken planet?" She shook her head and he saw the tears in her eyes too. "I couldn't be happy without you, Sam. I needed to be near you." Sam sobbed. Daniel reached out for her and brought her to his arms. "For so long, the only thing I wanted was for you to be happy. It didn't even matter if it was with Jack, or Pete, or anyone else. While I was ascended, I never came to see you. I thought you would be happy and I would be fine, too, but I had to know. The day I came back I couldn't look at you, I was afraid that I would lose it and hug you and kiss you right there, in front of everybody else." Sam let out a little laugh. "These months I've been torn apart. You were not happy and there was nothing that I could do about it. That's why I got involved with Vala; I care for her and she cares for me, in her own way. I feared that if didn't have a distraction, I would hold you against the wall and try to make you see all that we were missing."

"You mean like I just tried to do a moment ago?" Sam said raising her face toward him, with a little smile.

"Yes, like that." He lowered his head and he kissed her. This time nobody pushed back. Even though it had taken them so long to recognize their feelings for each other, now there was no turning back. They would probably have to face the same problems that any couple has to, but there are some foundations so strong that they can resist even the worst hurricanes.


End file.
